Archive for November, 2014

As promised in my last blog lets move on from relationships. Now I know Christmas is a long way off but its one of those times when there are so many opportunities to get out dressed. My partner Susie at her dressing service at Chateau Femme gets a significant number of requests to go out either on her own or as part of our group Susie’s Angels. But for this we need to look good, or as good as we can get. Short of surgery, especially in my case, or lying through the photoshop or portrait professional pictue adaption software there are a few tips for helping us ageing trannies. To you younger ones reading this blog I say bitch! I hate you and wish I had been born in an era that was as acceting of transevstism. Just read this and realise all the effort we have to go through at our advanced age!!!
I was delighted to read an article by Helen Mirren on how she looked so good at her age. Basically she is saying use shorter hair, those longer tresses half way down your back as they are for the young, but still as men cover your ears as they tend to be larger than women’s . Go blonde, very blonde, wear a lot more sparkle and go a shade darker in your foundation so the contrast makes the face much brighter.
Other things I have found work for me is go to light brown eyebrows as opposed todarker colours as this tends to make your now drooping eyes look larger, lay off heavy eyeliner and mascara. One I also like is using using a contrasting lip colour to define the lips and give you a pout!
An article I found on Women Fashion Tips which I paraphrase below gave a set of really good tips on ageing make-up as follows:

Ageing is the fact of life but wrinkles and fine lines showing up on your face is an ugly fact indeed. So, you can change this by applying makeup properly to your face. Unlike what many women think, you really do not need to go for harsh skin treatments only to end up hurting your skin; instead you can use your makeup kit in a slightly different way to achieve a younger look. Remember, using the right amount of makeup will help in reducing wrinkle display. By following makeup tips to look younger you will continue to receive compliments from others on your young look.

When we apply anti-ageing makeup it should fulfil certain criteria which will help you understand that you have achieved the desired look. The makeup should:

Reduce wrinkles, crow’s feet, fine lines

Conceal dark circles and age spots

Moisturize your skin evenly to provide a hydrated look

Provide sun protection

Improve your good features

Once you find your make-up provides all these you know that you have achieved the desired effect.

Anti-Ageing Makeup Primers

Applying anti aging makeup primers is one of the best makeup tips to look younger because it absorbs the extra oil secreted by your skin glands making you appear fresh all day. Use it under your makeup to get the best results.

Applying Foundation

Apply foundations that are light in texture with moisturizing effect for your skin to cover up your age spots and wrinkles. Using proper skin toned foundation is among the most important makeup tips to look younger. Mineral foundations render a glow to your skin without the oily effect and blending it properly can work wonders.

Face Powder

Some face powders are available with minerals and anti-aging elements; apply these to get the desired effect. In fact, it is wise to use powder sparingly.

Applying Blusher

The most significant of makeup tips to look younger is the application of blusher. When used properly on the apple of cheeks and blended nicely it can provide the best result and you will appear half your age. Also apply a shimmery shadow on the cheekbones to provide an uplifting effect for sagging skin. For an evening look use a matte variety of the same shade. It is also recommended to use creamy blushers instead of powders for a healthy rosy glow on your cheeks.

Eye Makeup

Remember, that you have to achieve a softer look for your eyes and thus apply the liner closest to the eyelash and smudge it with gentle hands. Doing a proper eye makeup is often most vital among the makeup tips to look younger. Use brow powder or eye shadow to fill in sparse eyebrows and sweep it gently over them to make the brows appear voluminous.

Concealer

Key to the makeup tips to look younger, a concealer as the name suggests conceals the fine lines, dark spots, wrinkles on your face. Makeup experts advise applying liquid concealer of a lighter shade than your skin tone on the inner and outer corner of the eyes to achieve the desired effect. Concealers can also be used on small blemishes and marks to cover them up.

Using Lipstick

With age the lips lose its rosy so start using rosy lipsticks to make them appear full, hydrated and beautiful. A little amount of gloss in the midsection of the lower lip will make it look fuller. Also consider using fillers. Tinted lip balms are great makeup tip to look younger.

Hair Style

Crucial to makeup tips to look younger is a good hair style that makes your hair appear voluminous, soft and shiny. Get long and loose curls on your hair to make them voluminous and bouncy and use hair color sparingly These are simple tips but give all of us some guidelines. Lisa Eldridge also has some very good tips for eyes at Lisa Eldridge and Elle magazine shows you common mistakes you can make. Finally for all of us who wear wigs it can be a ‘glowing’ and denuding experience if you are hitting the dance floor at the festive time of year. A good guide for you is at Anna Marie Gianni

Get Practicing!!!

Next blog will look at a few of the Christmas pitfalls for us girls! XXX

Well those who have read my previous blog know that we have taken a bit of a step back on the Tara front for the last few weeks whilst my partner Susie and I come to terms with how we play the whole Tranny scenario. This might seem ironic as Susie has been running a TV Dressing Service called Chateau Femme for over 10 years. But dressing Trannies and living with one are a very different concept. We did get out to The Magic Theatre for one night dressed, which was absolutely brilliant (pic attached) but otherwise it has been a very barren time! I had moved all Tara’s stuff into storage so there was no temptation and we got on with enjoying each others company as boy and girl.
It did however give us both a chance to reassess what had happened and how Tara fits into our relationship. Not an easy thing as she is a fairly introspective animal! Our own personal relationship in the intervening time has gone from strength to strength and is right up there in the clouds where it should be, that was always the intention of this step back. However we also realised that we both missed Tara. This came to a head recently when we were at a friend’s house for Dinner and everyone was dressed except me. At the end of the night it was obvious we had to do something. So a couple of days later a loving, rational, conversation took place over a couple of bottles of wine…as usual!
During our chat we realised that we had both misunderstood what the other was saying and in a couple of instances downright lied to one another as a form of comeback. We are big enough old enough (or is that mature enough) and in love enough to put things behind us and redefine where Tara sits. A lesson for all to check what you are saying is being interpreted in the manner you expect.
My love to use the word SLUT in defining Tara had been the core of the problem. Susie’s definition of a slut was one who dresses up in strong make-up (oh yes) some tarty outfit and heels (yep that’s me) parades around showing off (guilty milord) looking for attention (now that’s not me) having a flirty chat (yes again) with the intention of being picked up (no chance) and going back to somebody’s for sex (not a hope in hell). So of course if you defined a Slut as this then its right to assume if Tara wanders off she is up to no good. That of course was not the case and Susie now realises that as with some of her girls at dressings there is an element inside that seeks approval for all the efforts and the look that they are putting on show. Having a wander round a bar or club chatting to others does not constitute a pick up, but Susie said it aroused an element of jealousy she had never experienced before. Sorry darling hopefully we have that back on-line and Tara is ready to step out on a reasonably regular basis again…big sigh from all!

Alive Again

Susie says that this blog is written as a letter to her. In some ways she is right but it’s still meant to give an insight into my side of the Tranny continuum. The amount of times I hear conversations with girls where they find it difficult to communicate with their partners as to why they love to dress is amazing. So many, me included, have been in stressful situations at work or home or in life in general find an element of calm descending on them when they dress. It becomes a bit of a drug and they realise that the whole process of dressing is as much a coping mechanism as it is a release of the inner person (Note I rarely say its my feminine side I just feel it’s another side to my personality). In some cases this manifests itself in sex other times a need to get out and at its basic level purely that time alone looking at yourself dressed in the mirror. However explaining this to someone else is nigh on impossible. Communication is at the core of expressing who you are but you need a calm, rational, non-judgemental conversation to help both of you around this situation. Thanks Susie I still say lol should be lots of love not laugh out loud!

I think we have had too many deep thought offerings over last few weeks so the next few posts will be about dressing tips as Christmas is coming and this old bird is getting fat! All comments gratefully received XXX